ROCKED BY GRACE (LOVE AND CHAOS SERIES Book 1)

by M. J. Schiller

  He put a fist under my chin and lifted it. “I don’t want to squander this—” he gestured back and forth between us, “—either.” He looked off to the side. “Let’s go away for a couple of days.”

  “What?”

  “Only a couple of days. Then I’ll go back to the band and finish the album.”

  “But….” He didn’t get that I couldn’t leave at the drop of a hat. How I wished I could.

  “You’re worried about a sitter.” He licked his lips. “I know you don’t want to overuse Holly, but…I’d offer her any amount she wanted.”

  It would be good to get away with him. We had barely started to work things out between us. “She did tell me she was looking for some way to earn enough money to pay for her car repairs.”

  He jumped on it. “I’ll pay for it all. Hell, I’ll buy her a new car.” He stepped up and put his hands on my shoulders. “I want to spend time with you.” When I wavered, a smile shadowed his lips. He drew me in to speak in my ear. “Besides, I’d hate to forget all that information I learned last night about what turns you on.”

  Even though I knew he was playing me, I couldn’t stop the quiver running through me. He held still, waiting. “Okay. I’ll call her.”

  “Yes!” he shouted, squeezing me. “I just want a little more time with you before I have to leave.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Grace

  I couldn’t believe I was going on a road trip with my own little rock star. Outside his usual environs, though, he was much more the regular guy than a rocker. Except when we karaoked. Totally a performer there. I smiled thinking about it and spaced out for a stretch. We were headed to Meramec Caverns. It was the only place he went with his family, and he visited it several times in high school with friends. It was funny to think since then he went all over the world with Just Short of Chaos.

  Lights caught my attention. “Oh, no.”

  Zane sat up. “What?”

  “I’m getting pulled over. Was I speeding? I don’t feel like I was speeding.”

  “Maybe you have a signal light out or something.”

  “Well, we’re about to find out.” I lowered my window when the older, portly police officer approached. His younger, thinner partner got out, but held back on the rear passenger’s side of the car. “Hi.”

  “Yes, ma’am. Can I see your license and registration, please?”

  “Of course.”

  Zane fished through the glove box for me while the policeman waited. When I passed him my driver’s license and the paperwork Zane gave me, I noticed the officer was staring at my chest. In fact, if he’d been a cartoon character he’d have been salivating. I frowned and pulled my dress in tighter and higher. Denied any view, he switched his attention to Zane, who urged his cap lower to avoid recognition.

  “Umm…was I speeding, Officer?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Didn’t you see that sign back there that said the speed limit was dropped to thirty?”

  “No. I didn’t. I’m so sorry.”

  Zane cleared his throat and yawned loudly, stretching himself into a Y, hands above his head. When he caught me eying him, he mumbled, “Sorry.”

  When I twisted back, the officer was also looking at Zane, but he smiled and handed me back my stuff without writing anything on his ticket pad. “Just slow it down, now. Have a nice day.” He marched back to his squad car.

  My jaw dropped. “He didn’t write me a ticket.”

  “No. Nice guy.”

  I checked my side view mirror. The man was reaching in his back pocket. He slid a wallet out and I could see him stuffing bills in it as he turned to open his door.

  I gasped. “Did you bribe him?”

  “Simply encouraged him to make the right decision.”

  “That’s a bribe.”

  “I like to think of it more as…monetary persuasion.”

  “Still a bribe.”

  “Ya know,” Zane leaned forward, peering out the windshield, “I think we’re almost there.”

  “And I think your changing the subject, Mister. If we were home, we’d be taking this discussion out on the fire escape.”

  As we pulled out, the police car followed suit, which wasn’t remarkable. But when they continued to follow us for several miles, I worried we might have trouble. Maybe they were trolling for more money. I made certain I stayed within speed limits and used my turn signal appropriately.

  I checked the rearview mirror. “Did it seem like that officer was—”

  “Scoping out your tits? Definitely. If he didn’t have that badge, I would have beat the shit out of him.”

  “Not to mention the gun,” I said, trying to lighten the mood a little. I didn’t want anything ruining our time together.

  He nodded and cracked a smile, looking out his window. “Correct. The gun was also a deterrent.”

  I gave his hand a squeeze. “I’m sorry I was speeding and we wasted time being pulled over. And money. I’m usually not a speeder.”

  “Are you kidding? I thought you were crawling.” He stared out his window again.

  “Too slow for a rock star?”

  “Too slow for a hundred-eighty-year-old nun.”

  I slapped his leg. “Hey.”

  He chuckled. “I was teasing you. You’re much more like a ninety-five-year-old nun.”

  “Well, the reason I’m going slow now is because that cop’s still behind us.”

  “I noticed,” he murmured. A few minutes later he became alert. “This is starting to look familiar. You may want to be watching for a sign.”

  I glanced at the scenery. “Familiar? All I see is trees and more trees.”

  He didn’t comment, but within minutes the GPS warned us of a turn, startling us as it hadn’t spoken in a while.

  I slowed. “Turn? Turn where? Into some trees?” But around the next bend I spotted a sign. “Meramec Caverns, here we come.” Peeking in the mirror, my heart kicked up a notch or two. The police car followed. But I reasoned maybe that’s why they never quit trailing us. This was their destination all along.

  I parked, casting my gaze at my dress. For some odd reason, Zane asked me to wear a dress. Yet, I had to wear tennis shoes instead of heels. If he was taking me to a fancy meal, why couldn’t I wear my heels? “Are you sure I can’t wear jeans and a sweatshirt and change into the dress after the tour?”

  “Yes, I’m sure,” he grinned, but offered no explanation.

  “I’m going to freeze my ass off,” I mumbled. But I was smiling, too. Who didn’t like a mystery destination? Although this is the first one I ever had….

  He leaned over to give me a kiss. “I’ll keep you warm, baby.” I think we both had in mind what we were going to do in the privacy of our room at the bed and breakfast later.

  “You better.” For a moment, he took the kiss deeper and we had a mini make-out session leaving me wanting for more when he pulled away.

  I exited the car and subtly checked the vicinity for the party who had trailed us when we came in.

  “They’re gone.”

  I guess I wasn’t as subtle as I tried to be. I spun around.

  He closed his door. “We lost them before we even came down the hill.” He was referring to the winding path to the parking lot. He stretched then his eyes lit up. “Let’s go.” He grabbed my hand on the other side of the car.

  This was the first time I spent a day without taking care of Jamie or the store. I love both…but the idea I was playing hooky energized me, and being with Zane made me happy. “Uhh…do you know if there are any restrooms?” We scanned the area. “Oh, wait. There’s a sign. I’ll be right back.”

  “I’ll meet you at the cave entrance. I’ll get the tickets.”

  “Let me give you some money.”

  He took off, waving his hand. “I got it.”

  I narrowed my gaze. This would not do. He needed to let me pay for some of it, at least. I had the money. But at the moment, the two Diet Pepsis I drank to keep me awake after a lo
ng night of making love to Zane were making me uncomfortable. He wasn’t at the entrance when I got back.

  Hmm…I wonder if there’s a long line. Or maybe he decided to use the facilities, too.

  After about fifteen minutes, when I was beginning to worry, he tapped me on the shoulder. “Sorry it took so long. I got you this.” He gave me a blue Meramec Caverns zippered fleece jacket. “In case I’m not good enough to keep you warm.”

  I leaned in. “Oh, you’re plenty good. Thank you. That was very thoughtful.” I contemplated demanding I pay for dinner, but decided it wasn’t the time. I donned the jacket, and not long after, our tour guide arrived. She started her presentation by telling us the caverns were a hideout for many. Reputedly Jesse James and his gang sheltered there, as well as runaway slaves making their way north. The original owner, who was described as quite the entrepreneur, even sold tickets for its use as a bomb shelter and made one of the wide open caverns a ballroom where he hosted dances. He was even said to be the inventor of the bumper sticker as he hired school children to tie signs to all the visitors’ cars when they were on their tour. Personally, I’m not sure I would have been real happy about that.

  All this was fascinating, but it wasn’t until we were deeper inside that I really understood the full wow-factor of the cave. One doesn’t often see a geological structure that’s seventy feet high and sixty feet wide. The series of closely knit stalactites and stalagmites is called The Stage Curtain and we were entertained there by a spectacular light show.

  At one point, Zane jerked on my hand. “There it is. Come on.”

  “There what is?”

  He led me over to a small crevice in the wall. He checked around, and then stepped into it. “Uhh…I’m not sure we should explore on our own….”

  “We’re not exploring. We’re there.” He shined the flashlight he bought at the gift store ahead of us. We were in an opening about six feet by five feet. The “hallway” of sorts we took in made a sharp turn making this “room” hidden.

  “Oh. Did you carve your name in here?” I was excited to see traces of a younger Zane.

  “Nope.”

  “Oh…you discovered this place and wanted to show it to me?”

  He squinted. “Yes and no.”

  I waited. He set the flashlight on the ground. It was one of those big camping ones and the light fairly decently illuminated the place.

  “I wanted to bring you here so we could do this.” He pounced on me, bringing his lips to mine and making our earlier make-out session look like the kind of kiss someone would give their Aunt Pearl. He took me from passive cave explorer to sex maniac in about two-point-five seconds. His body was rubbing against mine in exactly the right places. He took an arm, raised it over my head and held it, then coaxed the other up with it, grabbing both wrists in one hand. The rolling motion of his body against mine was X-rated. The things the man could do with his hips…. He finally freed my lips so he could glide his lips and tongue along my neck to my shoulder while at the same time, jerking my jacket zipper down.

  “Holy hell, this feels good.” My eyes were closed, I was arching my back, I had basically lost my mind. He released my arms and they fell naturally to his shoulders where I clutched at him. I felt like if this man’s body left me at this particular point in time, I would die.

  Then, in a flash, I realized what the dress was for. “Oh, no, Zane. We can’t do this.” I moaned. He hit that spot behind my ear when he nudged my head to the side.

  I was telling him something. What was I telling him?

  He patted the walls. “It’s here somewhere…. Ah. Here. Come here.” He shifted me about six inches to my right where the wall jutted out forming a chair of sorts. He lifted me a few inches and set me on it. “Perfect.”

  When his lips were off mine, I could think. “Zane. The main passageway is less than four feet away.”

  His grin gleamed in the flashlight’s beam. “I know. That’s the thrill.” He kissed my neck again and writhed against me.

  I had to smile. He just did that to me. “Is that what you call it?”

  He rumbled with laughter, pushing my dress up and holding it, pressed between our bodies. His cold hands touched my hip and, a few seconds later, I heard the rip of my bikini underwear.

  “Zane, we have to hurry.”

  “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.”

  “What are you doing?”

  “Hang on, woman. I’m getting a condom on.”

  “Oh, good, responsible cave sex.”

  “Yeah. Doing it caveman style.”

  Then he was in me, with that magical, fluid movement that drove me nuts. I closed my eyes, reserving all senses for other regions. He drove his hips harder and I banged my head on the rock.

  “Oh, yeah. You’re going to want to watch that.”

  “Me? You’re the one who’s thrusting.”

  “Ooh. Say that again.”

  “I want you…ooh…to keep thrusting.”

  I opened my eyes. A little boy was framed in the arch opening to our room.

  “Mo-o-om!”

  “Oh, shit!” I said in a panic.

  “Oh shit!” he responded in disappointment.

  They warned us not to touch the limestone. We were doing a little more than touching. He scrambled to get his zipper up. Then grabbed my hand and the flashlight. We reentered the tunnel leading in.

  “Oh, my jacket.”

  “Leave it.”

  We bolted out of concealment and didn’t slow. The kid who saw us was wide eyed—who could blame him?—talking to a woman who was squatting by his side. We probably had seconds before someone official chased after us. We ran across the parking lot, having to dodge one car. We glanced at each other when we got to the car, both gasping for air, both with big goofy smiles on our faces.

  “You are so not telling anyone about this.” I slid behind the wheel and backed out of my spot.

  “Whoo.” He patted my knee, leaning back against his seat and panting. “Totally worth it.”

  Ten minutes later, he had to rethink that when I saw the lights in the rearview mirror.

  I peered at him. “He’s probably looking for someone else. Pull over and he’ll fly by. Only he didn’t. Once again I saw the dirty old man police officer strolling up to my window. This time his partner came to Zane’s.

  “You need to step out of the car.”

  “What?” I wasn’t expecting that. “Oh, okay.”

  “You, too, sir,” the other officer told Zane. “Walk to the front of the car, please.”

  “Put your hands on the car and spread your legs, please.” The way he said the end made me feel sick. I did what I was told.

  “Sir, put your hands on the hood.”

  Zane turned his head. “What is this—” He wasn’t able to finish his statement as his policeman shoved him.

  Reflexively I took a step toward him. The man behind me grabbed me, bunched my dress in both of his fists, and threw me against the car. Hard. Like he almost knocked the air out of me.

  Zane charged around the car. “What the fuck do—” He was slammed against the car with his arm twisted behind him at an awkward angle. “Come on, man. That’s my guitar hand.”

  “Oh, is it?” The younger guy corkscrewed it harder and Zane squeezed his eyes shut. “Fuck!”

  The cop leaned in, his face close to Zane’s. “You want to add assaulting a police officer to indecent exposure?” He yanked Zane back from the car and rammed him into it again.

  “Zane!” I screamed, nearing hysterics.

  He looked at me, his cheek smashed against the side of the car.

  “Please stop. I’m fine.” I tried to control the trembling in my voice.

  My officer moved closer. “You sure are fine.” To my shock, he grabbed my breasts. Not a little, ooh-I-accidentally-touched-you kind of fondle, both hands, in full contact. “I bet with these tits it was very indecent.”

  Zane went nuts. He scuffled briefly
with the police officer but Zane’s knees were kicked from behind and he went crashing to the ground.

  “Now I said get those legs spread.” He kicked the inside part of each of my feet, forcing them out wider.

  Cop or no, I wasn’t about to let him play with my breasts. What unbelievable balls. I struggled against him, trying to land an elbow, but I couldn’t get enough room to cause any real damage.

  He twisted one arm behind my back and grabbed my hair. I could hear Zane fighting, and the ratchetting sound of cuffs, but my captor got his ugly face in my line of vision. He tsked. “Like my partner here said, you don’t want to get a resisting arrest charge thrown on top of your indecent exposure.”

  “You’re gonna see what fucking resisting arrest is,” Zane spat.

  The cop restraining him mimicked what mine was doing, grabbing Zane’s hair in the back and pushing him again. “What? You don’t like to see her being touched?” He brought his knee into Zane’s back, and he cried out in pain. “You’re gonna watch everything.”

  I blinked out a few tears, shaking all over.

  My cop eased his grip a little as he reached into his pocket with his other hand. “Well would you look at what we found at the scene of the crime.” He held out my underwear.

  I closed my eyes. This was a nightmare.

  “You know what that means? You’re completely naked under…” He bent his knees so he could glide his palm along the inside of my leg slowly, lifting my dress at the same time. “…here.”

  I fought with everything I had, but it was useless. I ended up with my cheek against the window exactly as Zane’s was. I peeked at him. His lip was cut and he was breathing hard.

  “You better behave better than that. Take an example from your boyfriend there. He’s being good.” Zane was worn out and hurt.

  “Okay,” I said shakily.

  “Now that’s more like it.” He let me go and the relief flooding through my arm was incredible. I rubbed it with my other hand. “Turn around.”

  Just do what they say and it will all be over in a little while.

  I spun slowly. “Now. How about we reenact that little indecent exposure scene from the cave.”